High Energy Physics - Phenomenology

Title:
An introduction to Cosmic Rays and Gamma-Ray Bursts, and to their simple understanding

Abstract: I review the subjects of non-solar cosmic rays (CRs) and long-duration
gamma-ray bursts (GRBs). Of the various interpretations of these phenomena, the
one best supported by the data is the following. Accreting compact objects,
such as black holes, are seen to emit relativistic puffs of plasma:
`cannonballs' (CBs). The inner domain of a rotating star whose core has
collapsed resembles such an accreting system. This suggests that core-collapse
supernovae (SNe) emit CBs, as SN1987A did. The fate of a CB as it exits a SN
and travels in space can be studied as a function of the CB's mass and energy,
and of `ambient' properties: the encountered matter- and light- distributions,
the composition of the former, and the location of intelligent observers. The
latter may conclude that the interactions of CBs with ambient matter and light
generate CRs and GRBs, all of whose properties can be described by this `CB
model' with few parameters and simple physics. GRB data are still being taken
in unscrutinized domains of energy and timing. They agree accurately with the
model's predictions. CR data are centenary. Their precision will improve, but
new striking predictions are unlikely. Yet, a one-free-parameter description of
all CR data works very well. This is a bit as if one discovered QED today and
only needed to fit $\alpha$.